To Fall Fall In Love Again
by PassingDays
Summary: This isn't a what should, but a what could. Standing next to his soulmate at the edge of their special pond, Haruto comes to realize what he'd been feeling the past few weeks. Post Chapter 136.


**A/n: **My writing style is simple. I try to put myself in a characters shoes. I try to mix their thoughts and feelings with my own. Then I try to explain it all on paper. This isn't a 'what should have happened' but a 'what could have happened.

This was started on Saturday May 28, 2011 and finished Monday May 30, 2011. So halfway through writing this, FREAKING Chapter 137 was released. I FORCED myself not to read it. Now, I'm going to upload this and go read it. Scared...

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any rights to **'A Town Where You Live' **aka. **'Kimi no Iru Machi'**. Seo Kouji is the rightful owner/creator. I am not him.

**xXx~~~The Fourth~~~xXx**

**xXx~A Town Where You Live, One shot~xXx**

At the edge of a small town a shadowy pair can be seen making their way through a small group of trees. Their destination was a certain clearing tucked away from the rest of the world, and in the middle of which was a small pond.

The duo carefully stepped out of the dark foliage, it was nightfall, and their only source of light were the moon and starts above. The taller of the two, was a boy wearing a simple shirt and jeans. The second was girl wearing a cherry blossom patterned kimono. The boy turned to make sure she didn't trip over a root, and together they walked to the waters edge.

Silently, they enjoyed the cool breeze. It that made the faintest of ripples over the water's surface, which created waves in the reflected night sky. There was also the sounds of crickets and swaying leaves. This was the type of serenity which nature could only provide.

_'Soo... This was their fourth... meeting?' _the boy asked himself.

Thinking back, he thought, _'Sure, that sounds... reasonable.'_ Our first time was during the festival as kids. The second time when she came back to the town, and started living with me. The third time in Tokyo, and finding out about about her new boyfriend. And this time, reconnecting with her back in this very town. Four meetings... but..

_'No, this feels more like the fourth... something else. But what?' _

Event? Significant events? ... No, we've had more than four of those, she and I, even we narrowed them down the important ones. A fourth stage maybe? But that still doesn't sound right, didn't we take step back in our relationship?

_'Tsk... what-' _

"Haruto!" the boy broke from his musings.

"Huh, Eba?"

"Look! Its starting!" the girl pointed at the sky.

The peace had been suddenly shattered by flash and boom of fireworks.

With half lidded eyes, Haruto glanced at the Eba kneeling next to him. He watched as her face light with excitement as the the show started, the way her lips curled into the special smile that only appears when she was truly happy.

"Satisfied now, princess?" he asked.

"Yup! And look!" she pointed, "You can even see the 'flowers' blooming in the pond!"

_'The same...'_ Haruto thought. He looked at the fireworks over head and sighed. She was still the same girl he remembered. She the girl that giggles when she's amused, frowns when she's sad, and looks lost when she's confused. _'Grinning when she likes, pouting when she doesn't,'_ his mouth twitches.

He pictured all the times he cooked the foods she didn't like, and how she always did her cute pout. Then she would always do a 180 at the next meal, when he would make one of her favorites. She always expressed her self like a simple child, something that always made him laugh.

Then he felt it. What... this feeling. It seemed so familiar... like something he was used to.

Haruto looked at her one more time, trying to will the feeling out from hiding. But, he noticed the tears welling in her eyes.

"Wah... Eba, whats wrong?" He asked.

She turned to him with confused look, "What? Nothings-" "But... your crying..."

Eba blinked, and slowly touch her cheek. "Eh?" She felt... tears.

"Oh! Um, its nothing." she said, as she tried to wipe her face with her sleeves. She unconsciously backed up, and felt her heel hit a rock. "Ah!"

Haruto saw her stumble, "Hey! That's dangerous." He moved forward and grabbed her shoulders. "What are you doing!"

But, all she did was stare up at him, unmoving.

"Come on, Eba. What's wro-" his words fell short as he finally looked into her eyes, something he hadn't done all day.

Suddenly, the hidden feeling burst forth, and he finally understood. _This is... my fourth time falling in love with Eba.' _There... that thought sounded perfect.

**xXx**

The first time was an innocent crush as little kids, which created our connection. The second time was something I thought as love in first sight, but it was my heart remembering something once forgotten. The third time was during her last days living with me. With all other distractions cleared away, my mind and the rest of my body finally admitted to having these feelings.

And now the fourth time... Even after all the negative things that happened us. I can now clearly see the same old signs appearing over my heart.

**xXx**

Haruto let out another sigh, but continued to looking into her eyes.

"I realized something, Eba, about myself, and about my feelings for you. Right now... I'm falling in love with you again."

She didn't react.

"No matter how many times we separate, Eba, I know in my heart that we will always find each other." He leaned forward, pushed away her stray bangs, and pressed his forehead against hers. "And I will always fall in love with you. Time and time again."

Eba should have been happy with the words that came out of his mouth, but... the tone of his voice and look in his eyes told something else.

"B-but... You won't have to do that if we stay together this time." She said softly, as she tried to blink away the tears that wouldn't stop. "If you... stay in love with me."

Haruto moved his head down to rest against her neck, and gently leg go of her shoulders to wrap his arms around her waist. Almost instantly, Eba reacted to the intimate embrace, pressing in further, contouring her body to his.

"Eba... please understand... my feelings for you had only restarted to grow a few weeks ago... But," He felt her arms around him tighten. "Asuka-"

"No..." she whispered.

"As-"

"No!" she interrupted again, louder this time, hoping he would hear her.

" Asuka-"

"Stop!" she shouted.

But he continued through her protests, "Asuka has been with me for almost two years."

"Stop it!"

"Asuka has been in love with me for over a year."

"Stop it, Haruto!" Her body was trembling in his arms.

"And I have been in love with Asuka for over a year."

"Please... Haruto. Will you please stop... saying that name"

"Asuka is my Girlfriend, Eba."

"Damnit, Haruto! Why do you keep saying her name?" she sobbed.

"Because, right now... I need to keep reminding myself who Asuka is." He could feel his own tears now. "Because, Asuka really _is_ my girlfriend. You have to understand that."

"I know, god damit!" Eba cried into his shoulder. "I know. I know. I... know..." She cried through the entire firework show, and the whole time he silently held her.

**xXx**

When the sounds of the pond resumed, and Eba's sobbing reduced down to hiccuping, Haruto quietly said,"Eba... we will see each other tomorrow morning. And we will see each other the next day, and then next, and even after we all return to Tokyo, we will continue to see each other from time to time."

"But... I feel... like I still have to say goodbye to you right now." He gently cupped her cheek with his hand, which she covered with her own.

"Goodbye, Yuzuki Eba."

"I 'hic' don't understand 'hic', but... Goodbye... Kirishima Haruto."

"Remember... the next time we meet, I will fall in love with you once again."

**xXx-xXx**

When the group returned the to Tokyo, Haruto continued his relation ship with Asuka. Together, they pushed through the remaining years of their studies and then graduated from the University. From there, Haruto transferred to a specialized culinary school, while he worked part time as a cook in various restaurants. It took some time, but he eventually earned the title of 'chief' and became the second sous-chief to one of the cities most premier fine dining restaurant.

As for Asuka. she moved in with Haruto in an apartment near his new school. There, she started working in a small office, making her her way to assistant supervisor in just a few years. But. she later quit her job when when Haruto finally proposed to her.

They agreed to have the wedding in the small town in Hiroshima. Naturaly, Takashi had been Haruto's best man. But there was an amusing competition between Kiyomi and Akari about who should be the maid of honor. Nanami had quickly bowed out and gladly taken third place in the line up.

Eba had attended, choosing to watch from the audience, even when she had been offered to be a bridesmaid. Though, Rin happily took her place.

As the years passed, the young husband and wife tried to keep in touch with Eba. But eventually, the time between phone calls become longer, until one day Haruto dialed her number one last time and received a machine stating that the number no longer exists. And when asked, Rin explained that her older sister had suddenly decided to move America, and leaving no way to contact her.

As the sands of time continued dropping, Haruto managed to open his very one restaurant, a decent establishment that featured a blend of Japanese and French cuisine. When she heard of this, Shiho literally came barging in demanding him to give her job, and he gladly gave her the position as head chief. When the female chief, met the head waitress, Asuka, the two girls quickly hit it off and became really close friends.

But, Asuka only worked part time, and with long leaves, because Asuka really loved being a mother. Her first child came during the first year of their marrage, a bundle of energy named Taichi. Three years later his younger twin brothers, Riku and Haku was born.

A couple years later, after watching as their rowdy rugrats grow up into fine teens. Haruto and Asuka decided to try one more to for a baby girl. Nine months later the couple got their wish.

**xXx **

Asuka was laying down in her hospital bed with a small bundle cradled in her arms. Haruto was sitting in a chair next to her, and the boys were entertaining themselves with their cell phones on the other side of the room. Her husband reached over to caress her cheeks and give her a loving smile.

"I still can't believe it... a baby girl," he whispered to her.

"Yea, she's so beautiful..." she whispered back, as she pealed back the small blanket, revealing their newly born daughter.

"MOM!" shouted Riku.

If she wasn't holding the baby she would have most definitely grabbed the nearest object and thrown it at the boy. "Quiet! Can't you see that your little sister is _sleeping_!" Asuka hissed at her youngest son. Haku was a couple minutes older than his twin.

"Oh! Sorry Lil-sis!" he apologized, turning down the volume by only one notch... Haku was also the smarter one.

Taichi rolled his eyes and hit the back of this brother's head. "Shut it bro! Don't get mom anymore mad! Remember what she made us do last time?" the high schooler hissed into his little brother's ears. Then he turned to his parents, hoping to dissuade his mother's wrath, and whispered a the question that has been on everyone's mind, "So... what are you guys going to name her?"

Haruto, who has been wondering about that for a couple months now, shrugged, "We haven't really deci-"

"Eba." Asuka said with a smile, as she looked down at her daughter. "Her name will be Kirishima Eba."

"Thats an unusual name mom," Taichi said, "why- huh? Dad? Something wrong?" He noticed father, and the older male looked as if he's just seen a ghost.

Now... Haruto was a calm and patient man, after many years of working with and learning to deal with the stress of the restaurant industry, there wasn't much that could unnerve the 41 year old. But at that moment, he felt as if his world was just rocked to the core, at the uttering of that simple name. Certain memories, buried by the sands of time, resurfaced. Happy, sad, exciting memories, all featuring that long blue haired girl. He felt as if his mind was rocketing back and forth.

"Dad... Are you ok?"

This voice of his son reached him, and his mind snapped back to the room. "W-wah what? Oh... yeah.. I'm fine Riku."

"But... your crying..." Taichi hesitated, not used seeing his father like his.

"What? Crying? I'm not-" Haruto brought a hand to his cheek, and felt... wetness. "Oh..." He quickly tried to blink away the tears. "Uhh... um... sorry, I was just thinking about a girl I once knew."

"Who was she, dad?" Haku asked.

Haruto cleared his throat, "No one son... she-"

"She was Yuzuki Eba," Asuka cut in, "A long time ago, she was the most important person in your father's life." she said, making each of their son's eyes widen.

"But mom! I thought you're dad's most important person!" Riku yelled/whispered.

"She is!" Haruto quickly put in, "But..."

"This was a time before I met your father," Asuka smirked, "Did you know your father was quite popular with the ladies back then, he had big group of girls gunning for attention." This new information, blew their boy's mind. No way, the old man, they label a stick-in-the-mud, used to be a... Player?

"Asuka!" Haruto hissed, his eye twitching erraticly.

"What? Its true!" she stuck her tongue at him, then she turned back to the boys, "But it was Yuzuki Eba that rose to the top of that list, and... she would have stayed at the top..."

"What happened?"

"Well... He met me! Hahahah!" Haruto hung his head, the boys palmed their faces, and the baby started crying. "Ah! Little Eba! Sh-sh-sh. Its ok!" she quickly tried to rock her back to sleep.

"Seriously, it was because of Eba that me and your father met. So that's why your name is Eba, Eba." She smiled at their little girl.

"But what about Eba. Yuzuki Eba! What happened to her?" The boys asked.

Haruto looked looked his sons, then at his wife as she continued to comfort their fourth miracle. He smiled, and wiped away the remaining moisture on his face, "How about we save that for another time. Its a really long story, and I don't think I want to repeat it again when your sister's old enough."

"Dad!"

**xXx**

In a different lifetime, a different city girl met a different country boy.

They fell in love with each other.

But this time, they were happy in the small town where they lived.

**xXx~~~End~~~xXx**

**A/n:** AU (non-canon) fic born from recently scanlated Chapter 136. Sorry, if some of you didn't like reading the summary of Haruto and Asuka's lives. I know that there are many people out there that don't like reading epilogues, period. But, I tried to make a believable ending for the couple. And one more thing, I believe that had Haruto stayed in Hiroshima, instead of moving to Tokyo, Eba would have eventually returned. And Haruto, being who he is, would have fallen in love with her once again.

About Chapter 136, I don't know what to feel about that chapter or the recent chapters leading up to it. Happy? Sad? I don't know. Haruto might confess his love to Eba once again. He might tell her he really loves Asuka. Or... he might just fuck them both and run off with Akira! Who knows. Cause, I don't really care who he ends up with now. They're all wonderful women. But still young, with a lot of growing up to do.


End file.
